Backward Messages

At Backward Messages, Beth Winegarner gives you the straight story on all the influences you’ve been told will turn your teen violent: the occult, violent video games, heavy-metal music, and more.
Winegarner is a San Francisco author, journalist, and mom writing a book for parents on the most controversial teen influences and why they’re a healthy part of growing up.

In 1987, after the press had exploded with freaked-out
suggestions that heavy metal might be an easy scapegoat in the
suicides of Ray
Belknap and
four teens in Bergenfield, NJ, 20/20 felt it was time to
explain “the truth” behind heavy-metal music to
unsuspecting parents.

The country is abuzz about
Andrew De Leon, the 19-year-old who wowed the judges during an
audition in Austin, TX this week on “America’s Got
Talent.” Two things about De Leon have gotten people talking:
his impressiv… Read full post »

An oil-change mechanic at a Walmart in Ft. Worth is in hot water
after a customer
discovered some graffiti on the underside of her Mustang. The
woman claims the graffiti (above) reads “666,” and
includes an upside-down cross and pentagram.

Heavy metal has always had a reputation for being Satanic. That
reputation came from a number of places: the stage makeup used by
Arthur
Brown, Alice Cooper, KISS, King Diamond, and others in the… Read full post »

I wanted to let readers know that I’ve started a Pinterest account, where
I’m gathering links related to this blog. Some of them will
wind up as blog posts, while others are just along similar lines.
Follow me there to keep up with the news I’m tracking.

What does Druidry have to do with homicide? Absolutely nothing
— which is why a judge has forbidden any mention of an
Illinois man’s (not pictured) faith during his upcoming
trial. Photo by Flickr user owenski.

In recent weeks, the news has been flooded with criminal cases
where the alle… Read full post »